


Two Days

by keelywolfe



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Underfell, Alternate Universe - Underswap, Domestic, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, References to Depression, Spicyhoney - Freeform, Underfell Papyrus, Underswap Papyrus, Underswap Sans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-16
Updated: 2018-06-16
Packaged: 2019-05-24 06:08:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14949035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keelywolfe/pseuds/keelywolfe
Summary: Two days in the lives of Stretch and Edge.





	Two Days

**Author's Note:**

> Too long to call a drabble. More Living on the Surface style AU. Depictions of depression and hurt/comfort, domestic. Also, happiness.

* * *

"You don’t want your brother to move in with me."

Blue was not one to shy from directness and today was no exception. They were sitting in the Swap brother's kitchen, two cups of cooling tea in front of them, untouched. "My brother is grown adult who can make his own choices."

"But you worry," Edge said, softly. 

"But I worry," Blue agreed. To his credit, he'd never attempted to interfere when Edge and Stretch had slowly, tentatively, begun considering moving in together. They'd been partners for well over a year, it was a logical step in Edge's mind. And yet, there was this, the unspoken concern of a brother brought out before them.

"I understand," Edge said. He held his cup in both hands, the lingering warmth soothing to his bones. "I do, you must know that I of all people understand. I can’t just love him for his positive qualities. I realize there must be a few negatives."

"A few?" Blue sounded amused, his eye lights sparkling. "Tell me something, what are Pappy's positive qualities?"

"yeah, what are my positive qualities?"

Both of them startled, looking at the kitchen door where Stretch was leaning, arms crossed over his chest. Edge had no idea how long he’d been listening. He looked amused but Edge had long since learned that meant nothing.

"Oh, I don’t think I could name them," Edge said airily, just to see that smile widen. "They are ineffable."

Stretch's laugh was appreciative. He stepped into the kitchen to flop heavily against Edge's back, wrapping his arms around him from behind. "hear that blue? he loves me because i’m f-able."

"And unbearable."

Blue's smile was genuine enough but Edge could still see the underlying worry in his eye lights. "I have no doubt that you're both, brother. None at all."

 

_Day One_

 

Any of the skeletons that ran under the 'Sans' spectrum had, as various songs liked to put it, issues. They all knew it whether they discussed it or not, with most of them leaning in the direction of not. With that as a known, there were various ways to deal with it. Red responded reasonably well to threats, Sans to forceful encouragement. Neither option was likely on any therapist's docket; it was simply what their brother's had learned through trial and error worked best. 

Stretch, on the other hand— 

Edge wondered if it was because he was a Swap Papyrus that he was different. Blue had warned him against trying to push against his stubborn nature. The only time Blue had tried it, his brother had simply stopped speaking or eating and it had frightened him enough not to try anything like it again. 

With the door barely cracked, Edge looked out of the kitchen at him. Behind him were a rack of cooling muffins, one of Stretch's favorites and often Edge had to scold him when he stole one while they were still hot enough to singe. The lack of a muffin thief in his kitchen almost disappointing; it left him alone with the soft scent of banana in the air and gently browned baked goods that sat undisturbed.

There was a cartoon playing on the television with singing frogs dancing around the screen and Stretch was curled up on the sofa in a tatty blanket. It gave him every illusion of watching the movie, except the soft, unfocused lights of his eyes.

Edge took off his apron and hung it up, rinsing the bowls and setting them to soak in the sink. He didn't hide his approach, didn't wait for Stretch to turn his gaze from not watching the television to him.

"Can I sit with you?" Edge asked softly. He waited patiently, giving him a chance to reply. What he got was a noncommittal shrug which he decided was assent. He moved to the end of the sofa and that Stretch sat up long enough for him to sit down was encouraging. He settled back down immediately, his skull resting not uncomfortably against Edge's femur.

Slowly, he rested a hand on Stretch's skull, giving him time to protest. Only a faint breath, not quite a sigh, and Edge lightly scratched his coronal sutures. The singing frogs played on and it was some time later that Stretch spoke.

"i’m sorry that i’m like this." A small voice, not at all one he cared to hear from his lover.

"Hm. No," Edge said decisively.

That got him a genuine reaction. Stretch looked up at him, startled, "what?"

"No, I don’t care for that. I’d rather you said you hate that you’re like this. 'Sorry' implies that it’s somehow your fault while hating it is a reasonable reaction to something you can't control."

Stretch gave a soft huff, not quite a laugh, turning his face into Edge's femur. He drew his knees up to his chest and beneath the blanket he looked as small as a Sans, what he was and wasn't. 

"i hate that i’m like this," the thickness in his voice was as telling as tears. His sockets were squeezed closed, faint orange glow seeping out.

"Me too," Edge agreed, "But I love you. And I’ll be here no matter what."

"you don’t deserve this."

"Neither do you," Edge countered, "And yet here we are. We don't always get what we deserve. All we can do is deal with what we have."

Stretch fell silent. Sometime later, Edge felt a hand creeping up his leg, fingers gripping the fabric of his pants. He kept petting Stretch's skull and focused on the cartoon frogs singing on the screen.

_Day Two_

He'd known all along he was going to be the pack mule. That much had been a given. What he hadn't quite expected was the distance they'd be walking in the near dark. 

Not that the dark bothered him in the least; Edge had perfect night vision and he could only assume by Stretch's easy stride that he did as well. The humans around them seem less confident, lighting their paths with flash lights and the occasional cell phone. He was sourly glad they'd gotten a good look at him and Stretch in the lodge. Even he would admit that coming across the two of them in the dark might be slightly less than ideal for an unsuspecting human.

The woods around them were faintly reminiscent of Snowdin, despite lacking the signature snow. They likely contained nothing more dangerous than the occasional deer or rabbit, if they didn't include him. 

"All right, everyone, here we are!" Their guide called from the front of the group. The forest opened up into a large clearing and Edge could see a small pavilion with picnic tables close by.

The nametag hanging from her lanyard declared her name to be, 'Catherine'. She clapped her hands and the low murmur of voices around them died down. "Everyone can spread out and find a place for their blanket. We will be setting up the telescope here at the pavilion and every family will be given an allotted time. I’d like to remind everyone to keep any lights and noise levels at a minimum. No electronics, please."

Despite Stretch bouncing on his toes next to him, Edge waited until the human families had chosen their spots before moving to the edge of the group. Not far away from them but allowing them slightly more distance than the humans allowed themselves.

"did i tell you that the perseids meteor shower is caused because of the swift-tuttle comet?" Stretch's voice was respectfully quiet to the neighbors and yet Edge could still hear the quiver of excitement.

Edge hummed an agreement, spreading their blanket out on the ground. From his pack, he took two self-inflating pillows and another blanket. 

"…it's the largest object known to make repeated passes near earth. it's like, 16 miles across!"

"Mm hmm." Edge did know that. He knew because Stretch had told him at least three times this past week, since the day he'd wandered off in the Farmer's Market and returned waving a flyer with gleeful abandon. The flyer had stated the local nature preserve would be having a meteor shower watching event and that everyone was welcome. 

'Everyone' had been stressed in capital letters and an italic font.

That had seemed like a strong sign that preparing a backpack would be a wise decision. Blankets, check, camping pillows, check, bottled water, check, a supply of healthy snacks, check. A smaller, secret supply of unhealthy snacks for when Stretch refused the others, check.

Stretch had done his part by leaving his cigarettes the car so he wouldn’t be tempted.

"Everyone settled?" Catherine called. "All right, then! Eyes up and we should start seeing things very soon! Also this is a family program and I know it’s dark but let’s keep things rated G, okay?"

Stretch was still chattering softly, a bubbling fountain of meteor shower knowledge overflowing, when Edge pulled him down into their little nest, tucking a blanket around him. He settled immediately into Edge's side, forgoing the pillow in favor of Edge's shoulder. 

A streak of light flashed across the sky. He felt Stretch jerk, almost vibrating as if his excitement alone would bring others down from orbit. And perhaps it did; another streak of light shot across the sky. Another. 

Stretch was shaking against him and Edge was briefly concerned he was cold despite the lingering August heat from the day. He hugged Stretch closer, unnoticed by his lover who kept his eye lights on the star-emblazoned sky.

Soft footsteps approached and Edge forced himself not to tense. 

"Are you gentleman okay?" their guide asked softly.

"We’re fine."

"Okay, great," she sounded genuinely pleased and Edge added her to his tentative tally of acceptable humans. She handed them a small slip of paper. "Here is your slot for the telescope. Enjoy the show!" She moved on to the next group, leaving them in semi-privacy.

"it's beautiful," Stretch whispered, awed.

"It is," Edge agreed, though he wasn't looking at the sky. Stretch didn’t notice; his attention was on the falling stars above them. The Milky Way stretched out before them, awash with brief flashes of light falling to the Earth. 

"did you know that most of these are as small as a grain of sand?"

"I didn't," Edge pressed a kiss to Stretch's skull. "Tell me more."

-finis-


End file.
